▲ 라말라의 환영인파 (9월 25일 AP통신 촬영)

[라말라=신화통신/] 유엔에서 역사적인 연설을 하고 유엔안전보장이사회에 팔레스타인인들의 유엔 정회원 가입신청서를 제출하고 귀국한 마무드 아바스 팔레스타인자치정부(PNA) 수반은 요단강서안의 도시 라말라에서 영웅으로 성대한 환영을 받았다.

수천명의 아바스 지지자들은 라말라 시 가로들과 아바스가 집무하는 본부 밖에서 팔레스타인 국기와 그의 사진들을 흔들며 그의 도착을 기다렸다. 그들은 또 아바 “국민들은 독립선언 열망한다”와 같은 아바스 지지 구호들을 외쳤다.

아바스는 지난 23일(금)의 유엔총회 연설 이후 곧바로 미국으로부터 요르단으로 향했다. 그 연설문은 그가 반기문 유엔사무총장을 만나서 팔레스타인인들의 유엔 회원국 정회원 가입신청서를 전달한 직후 바로 행해졌다.

이 신청서는 유엔안전보장이사회로 제출될 예정이었다. 세계각국 외교관들과 팔레스타인 고위 관리들은 안전보장이사회는 정회원 가입 신청에 대한 팔레스타인의 신청서를 토의할 것이라고 말했다. 그러나 미국이 투표에 강력히 반대하므로, 그 안이 회부될지는 확실치 않은 실정이었다.

(이하 신화통신 원문 참조)

by Saud Abu Ramadan, Fares Akram
RAMALLAH, Sept. 25 (Xinhua) -- Palestinian National Authority ( PNA) President Mahmoud Abbas was warmly received as a hero in the West Bank city of Ramallah on his return 　　from the United Nations after delivering a historic speech and submitting a request for a full membership of a Palestinian state to the UN Security Council.

Thousands of Abbas' fans, waving Palestinian flags and holding his pictures, gathered in the streets and outside his headquarters in the city, waiting for his arrival.

They also chanted slogans in support of Abbas, such as "the People want to declare independence." Abbas flew 　　from the United States to Jordan right after he addressed the UN General Assembly on Friday.

The speech was made shortly after he met with UN Secretary General Ban ki-Moon and handed the latter the bid for a full membership of a Palestinian statehood to be submitted to the Security Council.

International diplomats and senior Palestinian officials said the Security Council would debate the Palestinian bid for a full membership of state on Monday afternoon. However, it wasn't clear the council would present the bid, which is strongly opposed by the United States, for voting.

Before Abbas' arrival, Nabil Shaath, member of the central committee of Abbas' Fatah Party told reporters that the Palestinians "won't regret or retreat their request for a full membership of a statehood." He expected that nine members in the Security Council out of 15 would vote in favor of the bid.

"No one would be able to force us to retreat or regret in 　　　order to save Barack Obama and protect him 　　　from embarrassment. He prefers to yield to the Zionist Lobby's pressure, but he will loose the entire Arab region's support," said Shaath, adding that "the Palestinians won't save Obama on the expense of our cause."

Right after Abbas arrived in Ramallah, he places a garland of flowers on the tomb of late Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, as thousands of Abbas' supporters waved flags, carried pictures of him and chanted slogans in support for him and for the UN bid.

Surrounded by his bodyguards, chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat and his prime minister Salam Fayyad, Abbas spoke to the crowds, saying that "rise your heads, you must be so proud because you are Palestinians."

"I went to the UN carrying your hopes, dreams, ambitions, pain, your vision of the future and your bad need for an independent Palestinian state. I believe that the free world has received your history, your pain, your struggle and your aspirations with honor and respect," Abbas told the crowds.

He also said that he told the world "the Palestinian spring is still there. A popular and peaceful resisting spring to achieve our goals ... We are realistic and we say that our diplomatic, global and international procession has begun and the road is still too long."

Abbas also said he reiterated at the UN General Assembly that " we want to gain our rights peacefully and by all peaceful means and by negotiations, but not by any negotiations. We want negotiations with a complete cessation of settlement."

Abbas, 76, who succeeded Arafat as the PNA President in 2005, said "there is no doubt that we are so strong, strong with our rights and our determination through our eye, minds and cultures, so I tell you rise up your heads, you are Palestinians."

Meanwhile, Mohamed Awad, a deputy to the deposed prime minister of Hamas de facto government Ismail Haneya said during a workshop organized by Hamas' ministry of information that Abbas speech "was like an important and historic document in the UN."

However, Awad, who is also Hamas' minister of foreign affairs, blamed Abbas for not coordinating the decision of heading to the UN with other Palestinian powers and factions "referring to his movement."

Hamas opposed the Palestinian bid to the UN for a statehood, saying that the step would be a negligence of the basic rights of the Palestinian people, mainly the right of return for Palestinian refugees. Hamas leaders slammed Abbas' speech to the UN and said " it was empty of content and full of contradictions."

However, Mohamed Ishteya, a Palestinian negotiator said senior officials will visit Nigeria and Gabon to persuade the two members of the UN Security Council to support the Palestinian bid for the world body's membership. The U.S. presses on the two African states not to vote for the Palestinian request. Enditem